#peta webb

I am a poor girl and me life it is sad

For it's once I was courted by a rakish a young man

Well it's once I was a-courted by a night, noon, and day

Ah, but now my love has left me and he's gone far away

Oh, me love he's a bandsman and his fingers long and small

He plays on the pipes sweetest music of all

With his red rosy cheeks, love, and his dark rolling eye

While there's breath in my body, I will love my fine boy

And there's something that tells me that me love won't be long,

And it more often tells me that my love won't live long

So then let them all be talking, let them say what they will

While there's breath in my body, I will love my love still.

Ah, for love it is a killing; did you ever feel the pain?

But I've a bunch of green ribbons my love to adorn

And if ever he comes back to me I will I will crown my love's joy

And I'll kiss those fond lips of me darling fine boy.

art: Gordon Robinson, "She plucked with her own soft hands the ugly stinging-nettles". From "The Wild Swans" in Hans Anderson's Fairy Tales, (1917). cr: elephantadvice

an album i discovered via Mainly Norfolk

i love scrolling through and discovering different folk songs and traditionals. I don't claim to be a musicologist, especially not in the space of folk traditions, so a lot of my thoughts are from a general audience's perspective and not informed academic reads at all

i always love it when women sing songs written from a traditionally masculine pov without changing any gendered lyrics, especially love songs or songs of travel and war. that sort of play with gender always fascinates me

it's also interesting to hear songs about women being mistreated by their lovers right next to songs about irish freedom

‘It’s her first work unit back from hospital. Have a heart..’